Hansjorg Wyss backs dark money news network with $1.14 million donation

In 2023, Hansjorg Wyss, a Swiss billionaire, made headlines with significant funding directed towards the United States' media landscape, particularly local journalism. His Wyss Foundation donated a total of approximately $1.14 million to an organization known as States Newsroom, which operates numerous state-focused news outlets across America. This donation was part of a broader $150 million disbursement by the Wyss Foundation in 2023, highlighting Wyss's influence as a major donor to various causes, notably those with a progressive slant. States Newsroom has faced criticism over its operational transparency, with numerous advocates and Republicans accusing it of politically biased journalism masked as nonpartisan reporting. Critics argue that the organization's connections to dark money funding channels raise concerns about hidden agendas influencing its news coverage. Indeed, before 2019, States Newsroom was operated as a project of the Hopewell Fund, which is linked to the consulting firm Arabella Advisors. These associations have drawn skepticism about the organization’s neutrality and the motivations behind its financial backing. Although States Newsroom maintains that its journalism is nonpartisan, many conservative observers claim that it consistently leans left, exacerbating distrust in media outlets perceived to be operating without accountability. Some of these criticisms were supported by findings from organizations that specialize in analyzing media integrity, which previously indicated States Newsroom resembles other politically funded entities with undisclosed agendas. As evidence of its political leaning, a job posting from States Newsroom once described it as committed to progressive political journalism. This has sometimes led to allegations that it serves as a propaganda outlet rather than an unbiased news source. In addition to its funding of States Newsroom, the Wyss Foundation also allocated substantial resources to various left-leaning organizations in 2023, such as the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund and the Campaign Legal Center. The Wyss Foundation’s financial activities underline the increasing role of wealthy individuals in influencing media coverage and political narratives in the U.S. This situation has reinvigorated debates about foreign influence in American politics, especially considering Wyss's foreign origins and prior legal issues regarding campaign contributions. The public disclosure of these donations continues to fuel discussions surrounding the ethics of dark money in American media and politics, raising questions about the integrity of information disseminated through organizations linked to such funding sources.